Monday, October 19, 2009

Zoom Out

"Zoom Out" proposes to implement a more interactive and clear map for college students and staff. Taking the notion of students changing their priorities and areas of focus as they grow in classification, and comparing it to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, "Zoom Out" has categorized this information into 3 stages: the "sponge" stage, the "bouncy ball" stage, and the "rocket" stage. The first stage is the "sponge" stage. This is where students (freshmen and sophomores) absorb as much information about their surrounding environment and survival. The second stage, the "bouncy ball" stage, is where students (sophomores and juniors) are most active in organizations and concerned for their social well-being and self-esteem. The last stage is the "rocket" stage, where students (mostly seniors) want to have a clear goal of their future and a sense of self.

"Zoom Out" will develop a mapping system of campus and the surrounding business area. This will be in the form of an iPhone application, kiosk, and website. The map will not only aid students on how to navigate through campus and within buildings to find their classes, but will also provide sustainably certified options for retail, food, and housing businesses in the surrounding area.

To motivate students to practice sustainability, "Zoom Out" has developed a scoring system called "Zoom Score."

UT organizations can become part of the "Zoom Out" effort by becoming certified. This can be done by volunteering, hosting events, or making conscious decisions to be more sustainable.

In conjunction with the established "Bevo Bucks" system, when students shop at "Zoom Out" Businesses, students will also receive points. Looking at it from a business perspective, being "Zoom Out" certified will allow you to be placed on the map and will consequently increase your customer base.

UT students will use their ID to rack up points when riding the bus, registers for a bicycle pass, or purchasing a carpool or car share permit.